Micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) provide an electrical output in response to movement. MEMS are being incorporated in an increasing number of sensor and actuator devices especially in applications making use of orientation, alignment and stabilization such as medical devices, photographical equipment, transportation navigation and inertial sensors, and defense applications. MEMS are produced using several known microprocessing techniques, including: photolithography, wet etching, dry etching, physical vapor deposition, chemical-vapor deposition, oxidation, etc.
Micro-opto-electromechanical systems (MOEMS) constitute a special class of MEMS which involves sensing or manipulating optical signals using integrated mechanical and electrical systems.
Micro-electromechanical optical inertial sensing devices that measure rotation rate, typically make use of the Coriolis effect to detect rotation rate. U.S. Pat. No. 6,350,983, the contents of which are incorporated herewith by reference, discloses such a micro-machined optical inertial sensing device (sensor) in which a MEMS proof mass is suspended on cantilevers. U.S. Pat. No. 7,071,594 discloses a MEMS scanning device which is another application of optical MEMS.